Verbena plant named ‘Wesverevostar’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Verbena  plant named ‘Wesverevostar’, characterized by its compact and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; medium-sized leaves; freely flowering habit; red-colored flowers with a light red-colored radiating star pattern; and flowers held above and beyond the foliar plane in rounded umbels.

Botanical designation: Verbena tenera.

Cultivar denomination: ‘WESVEREVOSTAR’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Verbenaplant, botanically known as Verbena tenera, and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Wesverevostar’.

The new Verbena plant is a naturally-occurring branch mutation ofVerbena tenera ‘Wesverevoo’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,620.The new Verbena plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor withina population of plants of ‘Wesverevoo’ in a controlled greenhouseenvironment in Südlohn, Germany in August, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Verbena plant by terminal cuttings in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Südlohn, Germany since October,2008 has shown that the unique features of this new Verbena plant arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Verbena have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and lightintensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Wesverevostar’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Wesverevostar’ as a new and distinct Verbenaplant:

-   -   1. Compact and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Medium-sized leaves.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Red-colored flowers with a light red-colored radiating star        pattern.    -   6. Flowers held above and beyond the foliar plane in rounded        umbels.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of the parent,‘Wesverevoo’. Plants of the new Verbena differ primarily from plants of‘Wesverevoo’ in flower color as plants of ‘Wesverevoo’ have solidred-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of the Verbena‘Wesvereme’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,637. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Südlohn, Germany, plants of the new Verbenadiffered primarily from plants of ‘Wesvereme’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena were not as compact as plants of        ‘Wesvereme’.    -   2. Plants of the new Verbena had longer internodes than plants        of ‘Wesvereme’.    -   3. Plants of the new Verbena had smaller flowers and        inflorescences than plants of ‘Wesvereme’.    -   4. Plants of the new Verbena and ‘Wesvereme’ differed in flower        color as plants of ‘Wesvereme’ had dark red purple-colored        flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Verbena plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Verbena plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Wesverevostar’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Wesverevostar’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the summer in 12-cm and 25-cmcontainers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Südlohn, Germany and underconditions which closely approximate commercial production. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 25° C.,night temperatures ranged from 16° C. to 18° C. and light levels rangedfrom 3,000 to 50,000 lux. Plants were 27 weeks old when the photographsand the description were taken. In the description, color references aremade to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Verbena tenera ‘Wesverevostar’.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of Verbena tenera    ‘Wesverevoo’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,620.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 14 days at 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 16 to 18 days at 20°            C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, summer.—About 21 to 24            days at 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, winter.—About 24 to 26            days at 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous, medium in thickness; color, close            to 158A.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense to dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant habit.—Initially upright, then compact and mounding            growth habit; freely branching habit with two lateral            branches potentially forming at every node; pinching            enhances lateral branch development; dense and bushy plant            habit; vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 22 cm to 25 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 64 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 27 cm to 50 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 1.9 mm to 2.7 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 2.2 cm to 2.5 cm.        -   Texture.—Densely pubescent.        -   Color.—Close to 144A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 4.2 cm to 5 cm.        -   Width.—About 2.1 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Dentate to crenate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Densely pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A to            147B. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation,            close to 147B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 147B; venation, close to 147C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Sessile salverform flowers            arranged in hemispherical terminal umbels; umbels dense and            mounding; numerous umbels covering the entire plant; flowers            face upward or outward; freely flowering habit with about 25            to 40 flowers per inflorescence; flowers not persistent.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously from            April until frost in the fall in Germany; plants begin            flowering about 12 to 14 weeks after planting.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 5.9 cm. Height: About            2.7 cm.        -   Flowers.—Appearance: Flared trumpet, corolla fused,            five-parted; sessile. Length: About 2.3 cm to 2.5 cm.            Diameter: About 1.9 cm to 2 cm. Tube length: About 1.8 cm.            Throat diameter: About 2.6 mm. Tube diameter, base: About            1.6 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.6 cm to 2 cm. Diameter: About 4            mm to 6 mm. Shape: Oblong. Color: Towards the apex, close to            46B with spots, close to 38B; mid-section, close to 145B;            base, close to 145C.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five fused petals.            Petal lobe length: About 9 mm to 10 mm. Petal lobe width:            About 9.5 mm. Petal lobe shape: Broadly ovate to cordate.            Petal lobe apex: Emarginate. Petal margin: Entire. Petal            texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            velvety. Color: Petal, when opening, upper surface: Close to            45B; radiating stripes, close to 37B. Petal, when opening,            lower surface: Close to 47B; radiating stripes, close to            37C. Petal, fully opened, upper surface: Close to 46B;            radiating stripes, close to 36D; main color becoming closer            to 45B and stripes, closer to 37B with development. Petal,            fully opened, lower surface: Close to 47B to 47C; radiating            stripes, close to 36D; main color becoming closer to 45B and            stripes, closer to 37B with development. Throat: Close to            145D. Tube: Close to 145C to 145D.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Star-shaped calyx with five fused            sepals. Sepal length: About 1.2 cm. Sepal width: About            2.4 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal            margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Pubescent; velvety. Sepal color, upper and lower surfaces:            Close to 146A to 146C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.2 cm to 8 cm. Diameter: About            2.1 mm. Strength: Strong; wiry. Texture: Pubescent. Color:            Close to 146A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: Four per            flower, adnate to corolla tube. Anther shape: Two-parted;            ovate. Anther length: About 1.5 mm. Anther diameter: About            1.1 mm. Anther color: Close to 1C. Pollen amount: Scarce.            Pollen color: Close to 1B. Pistils: Quantity: One per            flower. Pistil length: About 1.8 cm. Stigma shape: Ovate.            Stigma color, immature: Close to 146A. Stigma color, mature:            Close to 146B. Style length: About 1.5 cm. Style color:            Close to 145C. Ovary color: Close to 145B. Seeds: Length:            About 5 mm. Diameter: About 1.3 mm. Color: Close to 197A.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Verbena have been observed    to tolerate temperatures from about 5° C. to about 30° C.-   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Verbena have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Verbenas.

1. A new and distinct Verbena plant named ‘Wesverevostar’ as illustratedand described.